Fatwa No : 25463
Performing the Sunnat of Fajr in the masjid after the Iqamat for the congregational prayer has been given

Performing the Sunnat of Fajr in the masjid after the Iqamat for the congregational prayer has been given

The inner portion of our masjid where the congregational prayer is performed is small. Only three lines of 15 people can perform Salah there. There is an outer part of the masjid in which only three people can perform Salah. There is also an upper floor, but people do not perform Salah there due to laziness or difficulty to walk up the stairs. Our question is: Is it allowed to perform the Sunnah prayers of the Fajr Salah in the inner portion of the masjid after the Iqamat of the congregational prayer has been given?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If the congregational prayer of the Fajr Salah is being performed in the inner portion of the masjid, then the Sunnah prayer of the Fajr Salah can be performed in the outer portion of the masjid as long as one is hopeful of joining the congregational prayer before it ends. However, if one is not hopeful of this, then one must join the congregational prayer without performing the Sunnah prayer.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر: (وإذا خاف فوت) رکعتی (الفجر لاشتغالہ بسنتہا ترکھا) لکون الجماعۃ أکمل (وإلا) بأن رجاء ادرٰک رکعۃ فی الظاھر المذہب وقیل التشہد وعلیہ اعتمدہ المصنف والشر نبلالی تبعًا للبحر، لکن ضعفہ فی النہر (لا) یترکہا بل یصلیہا عند باب المسجد، إن وجد مکانًا والا ترک لأن ترک المکروہ مقدم علی فعل السنۃ اھ۔
وفی الشامیۃ: تحت (قولہ عند باب المسجد) أی خارج المسجد کما صرح بہ القہستانی (إلٰی قولہ) فإن لم یکن علی باب المسجد موضع للصلاۃ یصلیہا فی المسجد خلف ساریۃ من سواری المسجد الخ (ج:۲ ص: ۵۶) واللہ اعلم